Passport To Lagan College

Bienvenidos

Bienvenue

Dear Year 8 student...

You are one of the lucky people to joining our school. We hope that you will make a great effort to get to know people who are different from you and make lasting friendships here in Lagan College.

You come to this school as an individual, with your own gifts, your own identity, perhaps your own religious or political views.

It is important that you can be true to yourself and be proud of your identity, while at the same time being able to listen to others and learn from them.

The founders of Lagan College had a vision of peace and unity for the people of Northern Ireland. That is why they chose a verse from the Bible to be the motto of the school: “Ut Sint Unum”, meaning “that they may be one”.

Our desire is that every student who chooses Lagan College, is treated with respect and their culture and traditions are valued. We learn about each other’s religious beliefs and those of none. You can be of any faith or none or any ability to come to our school. We are looking forward to getting to know you!

Respect, Equality, Reconciliation, Service

These are our four key values.

Respect

Respect promotes the uniqueness of each individual within the College.

Respect encourages us to be caring towards each other and the environment within and outside the College.

Equality

Equality encourages a sense of belonging, where every individual is welcomed, valued and treated with kindness.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is a process of acknowledging difference, learning from each other and repairing ruptured relationships.

Reconciliation is living well together in a spirit of forgiveness and compassion.

Service

Service is thinking about ​the needs of others before ​ourselves.

Our History

Lagan College is a very special school because it is Integrated.

It was founded in 1981 so that boys and girls could be taught together.

In our school you will meet pupils of all abilities, from Catholic and

Protestant backgrounds, from other faiths and cultures and from no faith background.

​We started off with just 28 students and for a while the teachers worked without pay! That is how committed they were to a shared future and how important they felt our school was in making our society a better place to grow up in, to learn and work in and ultimately to live together in.

We are different because we believe that children who are different (in all sorts of ways) can be taught under the same roof and experience the richness of all traditions.

When the school first opened in 1981, Northern Ireland was being torn apart by violence. Some

parents and teachers took a really brave decision and decided to bring children from divided

communities together.

Thankfully, the country we live in now is a much more peaceful place today. There have been great

improvements but there is still a great need to bring people together. In our school we believe that we can get to know one another and learn that we are not very different at all. We have so much in common, yet each one of us is diverse and unique.

School Badge

Student Expectations

In Lagan College our relationships are based on Respect, Service, Equality & Reconciliation.

• We show respect for all
• We are helpful to all
• We treat all others as we would like to be treated ourselves
• We try to put things right when they go wrong

• We always act in a way that considers the feelings and safety of others
• We are good ambassadors for Lagan College when using any form of social media
• We wear our uniform correctly and with pride
• We are good ambassadors for Lagan College when travelling to and from school
• We are on time for school and for every lesson
• We walk calmly around the school keeping to the left

• We come to school with the correct books and equipment
• We complete and hand in homeworks on time
• We listen carefully when others are speaking
• We always work to the best of our ability and with enthusiasm
• We take pride in our school and help to keep it clean and safe
  

A Year 8 Timetable

• When you get your timetable. we recommend that you add different colours for each subject

• The first of these codes (e.g. BL) tells you which teacher you have
  

• The second code G17) tells you what room your class is in.
  

• Have a copy at home, to help each night to pack your equipment, books and P.E kit when needed.

Registration - Form Class

Your form class is the group of students you will meet with each morning for Registration. You might also be in classes with some other people from your form class. It is important that you take the time to get to know people in this group and to make friends.

Every form class has a teacher in charge of it called a Form Tutor.

Form Tutors are very important. They are the teacher you will spend the most time with, and will get to know you very well. They are there to help you. You will meet your Form Tutor every morning.

They will:

• Call the roll and check attendance.
• Give out notices and information.
• Check your preparation for the day, including your uniform, equipment and homework diary.
• Be there if you want to talk to somebody in private and give support if needed.
• Be fair to you and be there to answer any questions you might have about life at Lagan College.
• Be there to monitor your progress in all subject areas and to provide support and guidance in your studies.
• Encourage positive behaviour and wellbeing within your form group.
• Be there to celebrate your successes and be your champion!

The School Day

• Here's an example of a Year 8 timetable.

• At 9:10am you will go to Registration in your form class, or Assembly with your year group.

• Breaktime for Year 8 is for 15 minutes from 10:05-10:20.

• ​Lunchtime for Year 8 is for 35 minutes from 12:20-12:55.

• There are different options for what you can do during break and lunchtime.

• If you need to buy food you can go to either the bistro or the canteen.

• You can also go to the chaplaincy, and at lunchtimes there are also different clubs and societies you might be able to join. There might also be lunchtime football on the pitches.

Independant Learning - Homework

• Teachers will give you different types of homework for different classes.
  

• Every student will receive a Student Planner.
  

• Make a note of all homework you have been given and the day you are to bring in the homework.

• Make sure your parents sign your diary at the weekend; your Form Tutor will also sign your planner on a weekly basis.

• The Lagan College student planner is an important communication tool between home and school. Keep it safe and always bring your student planner to school.

Assessment and Learning ​Progress

• Your teachers will assess your learning throughout the ​year and let you know how well you are doing.

• In November, March and June, you will do school ​assessments, called exams.
  

• Our students prepare for these school exams by

revising and using their revision booklets to help

• We value the effort you put into your learning

and your teachers will have learning conversations

with you to let you know if you are on progress track,

exceeding expectations, or if you need some help.

• Remember, it is about giving your best at school!
  

Extra-curricular Clubs ​and Societies

As well as the learning you do in class, we like to give our students the chance to develop other interests and talents - these could involve music, sport, drama or other areas. Some clubs and societies take place during lunchtime and some are held after school.

Example -- Summer 2024

We are looking forward to meeting ​you on Friday 30 August 2024!

Don’t forget to ask for help and look out for us around the school.

We wear green blazers!

From the Sixth Form Senior Prefect Team